Reaching for his hand, she tugged him down on the mattress to remove his boots. “I’m sorry, Skars. I was wrong.” Raine hugged his boots to her belly, angry at herself for letting Milly manipulate her. Deep down, she knew Milly had deliberately spilled the wine on herself just to get some of her clothes. “I’m such a coward where she is concerned. I won’t even try to get you to reconsider changing your mind about her not visiting me again.”
He gave her a curt nod. “I will not be changing my mind.”
“Of course not,” she soothed. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”
Setting his boots aside, she gave him a hard shove to push him back and lean over him. “Did you miss me today?”
“Did you miss me today?” he countered.
“Já. Very much,” she promptly answered, rubbing her cheek against his briskly beard and curling up next to him like a kitten. “How did your meeting go?”
Raine felt him stiffening under her hands.
“Well.”
“Has Thorsen gotten any more information about Piper? Lucas is really worried. Do you think Thorsen could give him an update on what is going on?” She rolled the litany of questions at him before she forgot. “And could he talk to the women? They are wondering if your clan plans to stay on Earth. And, if you do stay, would you just plan to live on your ships, or—”
Skars placed a hand over her mouth. “I will take Thorsen with me in the morning. Both of us will answer what questions they have.”
Raine nudged his hand from her mouth. “Can I go, too?”
“Neinn,” he said inflexibly.
“Why not?”
“Because, if Milly says one word to you, I won’t wait until our wedding to sacrifice her.”
Raine giggled and rose onto her knees to start unbuttoning his pants. Scooting down to his feet, she started pulling them off.
Skars sat up on his elbows to give her a suspicious look. “You’ve been in my wine again.”
“I’m bored. Can I go to Earth with you tomorrow after you talk to my friends?”
“Neinn. I don’t want to have to worry for your safety while we’re there.”
“Has it become worse since I came here?”
“Já,” he answered shortly.
“Have you come across any survivors?” He lay back down on the bed, and she started massaging one of his feet.
“A few.”
“What did you do with them? You didn’t kill them, did you?”
“Neinn, we don’t seek to kill those who don’t try to kill us. So far, those we have found have been too starved and frightened to put up a fight.”
Raine blinked back tears, imagining how hard things had become since she had left.
“Thorsen brought them to his ship. He will feed them and have Trygve check them out.”
Raine remembered what Ulf had told them when Skars had been fighting the Olggans. She had broached the subject each time he had told her he was going to Earth, yet Raine couldn’t help but seek reassurance once again.
“Skars, I know you’re searching for items which can be used for trade on other planets, but you promise you’re not looking for women to make brides out of them the way you did me?”
Skars’ expression grew chilly.
“I have explained to you how our law permitted me to take you as my wife. Such a situation is rare. I admit I did take advantage of the opportunity.” His facial features became gentler as he sought to reassure her. “How could I not want such a rare creature who save my life?”
Raine blushed at his gentle tone.
“I’m sorry to keep doubting you,” she apologized. “I just wanted to make sure. The thought of any woman being made to do anything they’re unwilling to do makes me sick to my stomach…”
“Have I treated you with anything other than respect? Asked you to do anything you’re unwilling to do?”
“No,” she answered honestly.
“Then I promise to extend the same courtesy to any women we find.”
“Thank you, Skars, for relieving my worry. Is there anything I can do to help? I can talk to them and reassure them that you won’t harm them.”
“Neinn, because they won’t be staying. Once we make sure they are healthy, we will find them a safe place to stay where they won’t be in any danger.”
“That’s so nice of Thorsen.” Seeing the strange look he was giving her, Raine hurried to correct her blunder. “And you, too, of course.”
Bending her neck, she traced the tip of her tongue over his big toe. Holding his ankle with one hand, she started playing with his toes. Then, moving her mouth to his ankle, she ran her tongue over the hickey she had left there the night before. She had found out one night, when she wanted to find out if he was ticklish—he wasn’t—that, to her delight, his feet were a highly erotic area to him.